Spring!

Long time, no postings blog friends! What can I say, it's been a crazy busy winter, and now SPRING is here!!! I've been too busy doing backflips about spring to blog. The melting snow, the thawing poopsicles, the mud, DRY roads and trails for biking, the end of hockey season (sort of) all mean spring is here!

Some of you may have heard I've become hockey-obsessed this winter. After not playing the game regularly (other than some pond hockey here and there), for like, 20yrs (or more?), I joined the Whitehorse Women's Hockey League. The league is taking off and has over 50 players and went up to 5 teams this year. There are all skill levels in the league and everyone is welcome. It's a blast! If you are local and are thinking of joining, all I can say is DO IT!!!! Best. Time. Ever. There's jamborees, tournaments and parties and totally awesome women.

The league has opened so many doors lately - the most recent of which was two teams heading off to a women's tournament called Fools on Ice in Anchorage, Alaska! About 20 of us headed west to take on a new hockey adventure/challenge. We were excited in that we were the only Canadian teams going, so it ramped up the excitement - y'know, the ol' USA vs. Canada thing. We were there for our country dammit. And hockey is OUR sport. We had something to prove. Ok, no really - we were just there for some hockey, beer, entertainment and shopping! Costco, wheeee!!!!

Heading off to Anchorage!

We were a wee bit excited. My new little car - did I mention I have a new little car? It's a speedy little Subaru that I LOVE to drive. No more truck for me, which makes hauling plywood, dog food and fish a lot more complicated.

Our awesome Captain Vero arranged for team hats! We were "The Eh Team" - it took some of the Americans awhile to get it, but they eventually did. Some needed more help than others.

We figured, if we didn't kick some ass, at least we'd look good!!! And yes, those are bullet holes through the maple leafs!

And personalized, matching freakin jerseys!! Sponsored by Back Country Construction, thanks to them we looked awesome on the ice.




Mountainy goodness somewhere along the trip.


Winter-time Tok-Thai-Food-On-Wheels... erm... thanks but I'll pass!


Oh Alaska, you are just like the Yukon, where it's not unlikely to see an outhouse being towed somewhere.



Glacier. Somewhere outside of Anchorage. A tour guide, I am not.

There were many great things about this trip and this was one of them:

The big beautiful bathtub! I used it every day!!! And showered too. Wow, was I clean. In fact, I chose bathing over going out to party some nights... (aka: how to tell when you're getting old).


Virtual bartender... dangerous technology!

The hillbillies from the Yukon hit the massive, warehouse of a liquor store and discover the "virtual bartender"



Wandering through the mall, I think Heather is trying to claw at the bear. She is so menacing!


Some of the other teams say we were "intimidating" - really?!?! Do those snazzy matching uniforms and snarls scare you??? haha. (apologies to Heather for the butt end of my stick completely covering her face in this otherwise awesome photo!)

The team, ready to go for one of the games - we were ALWAYS ready!! We were super pumped up for all the games, thanks to our team cheerleader and Captain Vero!

We were in the "beginner" category and played against 3 other teams in our category. The 4th game was for the championship! Which we took home in a 2-0 win. It was a super exciting and fun game. As much as I bug them, the Alaskans were awesome and so nice and welcoming. They thanked us a million times for making the trip. And we definitely want to go back!

We were proud of our team, most of us had only started in the league this past September, and our league has done a lot to help - from camps and clinics, plus playing in a league with all skill levels really helps you improve your game. We're always playing against advanced players, so being in a game consisting of ALL beginners, was really fun and a huge confidence booster. We could deke all the way down the ice! Wow! Around multiple players!! We could shoot and score repeatedly! I learned I could play defense! And I kind of liked it when I could actually catch people! We had only one goal against us the whole tournament. Our goalie, Amy, got THREE shutouts! We couldn't ask for a better time.

CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD 2011!! (or, at least of the Beginner category at the Fools on Ice Women's Hockey Tournament!)


It was also our goalie, Amy's, birthday! So we had a bit of a celebration after winning the final game. What a totally awesome weekend all around.


Both teams were awesome at supporting each other. Here we are at one of the games (the 3rd I think?) for Yukon's other team, in the tough, Competitive category!


Yukon Team #2 - Gold Diggers, warming up.


Gold Diggers and on-bench support from our team - Natasha and Stephanie.


And they're off!


Sue in goal. They walloped the first team - 6-0 or something by the end of it. But after a VERY exciting championship game, the Gold Diggers ended up getting second in the tournament. Not too shabby for a team of our most advanced players who are *stuck* playing with players of lesser skill levels all year. We hold them back, haha! Playing with them actually really helps us, so thanks for taking one for the team guys. :)

Unfortunately the seating on this rink was almost non-existent so we had to line up on the 2nd floor watching from above. I had the "pleasure" of standing beside the father of one of the opposing players. He was nice before the game started, but man, once the game was on, it was all business. And his business was all about WINNING. He gloated and whoofed like an flippin' orangutan the whole game. I am not even kidding about those noises. They were ridiculous and annoyed me to my core. I had visions of turfing him over the ledge we were leaning on, but I really didn't want to interrupt the game... or go to American jail.

Vero was cold. And she kind of reminds me of Gollum from Lord of the Rings here. The rink was freezing, but the saving grace was the "Blue Line Pub" up above, overlooking both rinks. We need one of those in our rinks here.


What happens when four women playing hockey share one hotel room? Lots of stanky gear! Thank goodness for windows.


You gotta dry sweaty clothes wherever you can!

Ever try a "laser wash"??? We haven't... until now! Eek!! Giddy with excitement. For a mere $8-14, you too can sit on your butt watching machines wash your beloved car.



For the ultimate experience:




Chicken & Waffles! Who can resist? I can. My first visit to Ihop. Eh, it was ok. We were curious about these "grits" things too... they seemed to be everywhere.


The winners at a much deserved DEEELISH post-tournament meal! I look drunk, but I'm not. I think that's contentment and sadness that the tournament is over. That is, until... next year!!! :)